The opportunity to put sponsorship patches on Texas Tech football uniforms has stirred interest from potential corporate partners, Robert Giovannetti said this week, but the Tech senior **** ociate athletics director stopped short of saying whether he expects a deal to be struck in time for this season.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we have one," Giovannetti said, "but I don't know if I'd use the term 'expect'. I think we understand the value. We understand the importance. We understand that we need to monetize where we can, but I think we want to make sure we have the right partnership and we get the right price for it."
Giovannetti made the observation on Tuesday, July 28, hours after Ohio State and Notre Dame both announced department-wide sponsorship agreements that will have all their teams wearing a sponsor's logo on uniforms. According to reports, Ohio State is expected to receive about $15 million to $17 million annually in a multi-year deal with JPMorganChase, and Notre Dame is expected to receive in the range of $18 million to $20 million annually in a six-year deal with SoFi Technologies. Both deals are for jersey patches for all teams at each of the schools.
More: What goes into Texas Tech Ring of Honor selection? An inside look
More: Texas Tech's 10-year deal with adidas signed at last: Contract details here

#notre

TAMPA, Fla. - Quarterback Kenny Minchey of the Kentucky Wildcats speaks at SEC Football Media Day at Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 20, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)
George Haffner averaged a robust 18.3 yards per completion quarterbacking Joe Kuharich's Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 1960. He also completed less than 30 percent of his passes and 11 of his 108 attempts were picked off. Frank Budka – 14 interceptions in 95 attempts -- and Daryle Lamonica took over in 1961 while Haffner left South Bend only to emerge at McNeese State in 1964.
Several other quarterbacks have moved on from Notre Dame, most recently Kenny Minchey, who will be the centerpiece of a new-look Kentucky offense under first-year coach Will Stein and new offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.
"Going to Notre Dame out of high school, it was just a decision that was best for me and my family and my situation," Minchey said at SEC media days in Tampa. "Then obviously coming to Kentucky, coming to the SEC, I just think it was a great opportunity."
The Tennessee native's resume is sparse (29 pass attempts) having spent the past three seasons behind starters C.J. Carr, Riley Leonard, Sam Hartman and ***** orted others on the depth chart. including Steve Angeli. In Lexington, Minchey, who has two years of eligibility, has the opportunity to show what he can do under a 36-year-old head coach who was the offensive coordinator at Oregon for three seasons working with Dante Moore, Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix.

#tampa #dame #kenny #Media

CHICAGO — USC will be put through the wringer this season. The Trojans will play Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. They also have to hit the road to take on Penn State and Wisconsin back-to-back games.
As much of a gauntlet as USC's schedule is, it possesses a glaring omission: Notre Dame.
The news broke last winter that USC and Notre Dame had failed to reach an agreement to play what would be the 97th game in the historic series between the rival programs during the 2026 season. They have faced off in 78 consecutive seasons, excluding the COVID-19-affected campaign.
That streak is coming to an end this year. Previously, the series had only been paused for a three-year period that coincided with World War II and, as mentioned above, briefly for the pandemic.
When word got out about the newest hiatus in December, USC head coach Lincoln Riley blamed Notre Dame. He's not backing away from the sentiment he expressed back then.

#notre #back #season #Chicago

Chicago — Conference realignment has thrown a wrench in many of college football's traditional rivalries. At least one Big Ten coach says he feels a new one brewing with Michigan.
Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days, USC head coach Lincoln Riley said that the past two season's games against Michigan have taken on the air of a rivalry. And though the Wolverines aren't on the schedule this season, he's looking forward to building more history with the Big Ten's traditional teams.
"This has got a little bit of juice behind it," Riley said. "Whether it's at the Big House or at the Coliseum, those two programs walk on the field, those two helmets walk on the field, it's like, ***** , you know. This is real. It's pretty cool, and I think everybody kind of feels that."
Michigan's Kalel Mullings ran in a 1-yard, fourth down touchdown with 37 seconds left to beat USC, 27-24, in a ranked clash at Michigan Stadium in 2024. The next year, USC pounded Michigan 31-13 in Los Angeles.
No, this quote-unquote rivalry isn't replacing the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh for Southern Cal, or surpassing The Game in importance for Michigan. The Trojans will always have beef with Notre Dame and UCLA — no matter what scheduling drama there may be with the Irish. And the Wolverines' rivals of Ohio State and Michigan State carry a certain regional animosity that is as hot as ever these days.

#michigan

Notre Dame football is fairly close to closing out its 2027 recruiting class, with 23 total commitments after Brayden Parks made his verbal on Thursday.
The Irish have an elite class, one that ranks among the best in the nation and could end up being the top overall class. With that said, Notre Dame has the luxury of moving onto the 2028 cycle, one where they already have two commits, safety Andre Jones and kicker Owen Davies.
One of their top targets is Illinois edge rusher Darieon Prescott, a 5-star in the 247Sports Composite, ranking as the No. 18 overall player in the class. On Friday the 6-foot, 6-inch and 220-pound star announced via On3's Hayes Fawcett that he'll be committing on Monday with Notre Dame, Oregon and Texas A&M as his finalists.
Prescott has visited all three schools, as he was in South Bend to see the Irish hosting Purdue. Scanning his social media, it doesn't look like he visited this spring, but he did see the Ducks and Aggies. It's hard to say where he's leaning at the moment, but the hope is that proximity plays a part in Prescott's decision and joins other Illinois players who matriculate to Notre Dame.
Contact/Follow us IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

#irish #prescott #follow

Iowa women's basketball is among the five finalists for five-star forward Nation Williams.
Williams, a 6-foot-2 forward out of Las Vegas' Centennial High School, revealed to 247Sports' Dushawn London on Friday that she will be choosing between Iowa, Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame and UCLA.
Williams has already taken an official visit to Iowa. The elite 2027 talent was in town for Iowa's 62-44 Senior Day victory over Michigan last February, where Hawkeye bigs Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke combined for 35 points.
Per 247Sports' 2027 rankings, Williams is the nation's No. 11 player, the No. 2 power forward and the top player from Nevada. According to ESPN, Williams is the country's No. 14 player. Per Rivals, Williams is the No. 13 player nationally and the No. 3 power forward.
Williams is rated as a five-star by ESPN, Rivals, and in the 247Sports composite rankings.

#forward

Nebraska baseball earned a spot in the 2027 Battle at the Ballpark next season. The Huskers are one of four teams to play, including Air Force, Army West Point and Notre Dame.
The three-day tournament will be hosted by the San Antonio Missions, the San Diego Padres' Double-A affiliate at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium on Feb. 26-28, 2027. The tournament will have two games per day, with each team playing each other in a round-robin format.
Nebraska finished last season 43-17, leading to it hosting an NCAA Regional. The Huskers are the only team in the Battle at the Ballpark lineup that reached the NCAA tournament. Notre Dame earned a 31-22 record last season but missed the NCAA tournament after falling in the second round of the ACC tournament. Army finished 28-20 and fell in the Patriot League Baseball Championships. Air Force finished 27-28 and finished 2-2 in the Mountain West tournament.
Air Force and Army previously played against Creighton in the Battle at the Ballpark back in 2024. Now, Nebraska gets a turn to face Air Force and Army, along with Notre Dame. Fans can sign up for pre-sale ticket access at www.peak.com/events.
Contact/Follow us CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

#army #battle #finished #ncaa

Texas A&M's No. 1-ranked 2027 recruiting class is all but complete, barring any last-minute flips, specifically focused on five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, who is firmly committed to South Carolina but recently stated that his recruitment is "long from over," which provides an opening for the Aggies, especially if the Gamecocks struggle during the 2026 season.
Heading into the fall, third-year coach Mike Elko and his staff are focused on the season at hand, while a long list of priority prospects in the 2028 recruiting cycle are already on pace to announce their commitments, with blue-chip four-star quarterback Donald Tabron already receiving multiple predictions to become A&M's second commitment in its 2028 class.
Under Elko, Texas A&M has been in the running for nearly every top-ranked prospect, no matter the position, thanks to a strong culture and, yes, NIL advantage, and on Friday, it was revealed that 2028 five-star Edge Darieon Prescott is set to announce his commitment on Monday, July 27, and will choose between Notre Dame, Oregon, and Texas A&M.
Coming off his unofficial visit to College Station, Prescott has received a prediction from Rivals to land with the Fighting Irish, but it's important to note that early commitments are almost never set in stone, providing every contending program more than a year to make headway.
Standing 6'6" and 220 pounds, Prescott is your standard elite athlete with immense potential, whose length and bend off the edge provide whichever coaching staff is lucky enough to land him with NFL traits that should lead to a bright future at the next level. Prescott is currently positioned as Rivals' 24th-ranked prospect, 5th-ranked Edge, and 2nd-ranked prospect in Illinois.

#prospect #rivals #class

Based on the New England Patriots' 2026 offseason moves, the organization made improving quarterback Drake Maye's offensive weapons a priority. In the process, the Patriots added to a previously aging tight end room.
Following an Austin Hooper exit to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, New England signed hybrid tight end Julian Hill. It also selected Notre Dame's Eli Raridon in the third round of the NFL Draft. However, a season-ending injury to Hill during a spring practice left a void in the group that remains unresolved.
In the final edition of our Patriots training camp preview series, we'll take a look at New England's tight end corps in its entirety and discuss the biggest takeaways heading into the summer practices.
*Denotes player on the Pats Pulpit 53-man roster projection
Starters: Hunter Henry (31)*, Eli Raridon (22/R)* | Backups: Tanner Arkin (22/R)*, Jack Westover (27), C.J. Dippre (24), Mitch Van Vooren (25), Jeremiah Franklin (22) | IR: Julian Hill (25)

#hill #tight #drake

The Milwaukee Brewers are commemorating 25 years of American Family Field with an alumni Game July 24, but fans might find it curious that the team itself is wearing retro hats from before the building even opened.
The hats actually have nothing to do with the Brewers celebration, and it'll last through the three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.
The Brewers will wear the M-B hats this weekend as part of a Hall of Fame weekend celebration across Major League Baseball. All 30 teams will participate, though the hat of the Brewers' opponent won't look too dissimilar from what it typically uses now. The "CR" logo will be the same, but in the context of an all-purple used by the franchise from 2003 to 2012.
The "M-B" logo ("Motre Bame" if you prefer, since it's similar to a classic Notre Dame logo) didn't last long in Brewers history, worn from 1994 to 1996 before the Brewers adopted a simple M on their cap throughout the rest of the '90s. Both hats were part of the green, gold and blue motif along with the "crossed bats" primary logo that lasted from 1994 to 1999, an era that didn't feature any winning seasons for the Brewers.
No, no Hall of Fame players ever wore the M-B hat for the Brewers, not even on the coaching staffs. Rod Carew served as hitting coach one year too late.

#hall #last

The Washington Huskies are aiming at some of the nation's best defensive linemen in the 2028 class, and among their top priorities is four-star Kingston Brown.
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound product of Carver High School in Georgia, who took an unofficial visit to Seattle in March for Junior Day, is ranked as the No. 193 overall prospect and No. 22 defensive lineman by the 247Sports Composite, and has quickly become one of the nation's most coveted underclassman pass rushers.
Brown holds 25 offers, with Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M all among the programs in pursuit of his services, but after convincing him to take a cross-country trip to host him and extend an in-person offer, Jedd Fisch's coaching staff may have an early advantage in his recruitment.
During his sophomore year, Brown turned in 50 tackles, 21 for loss, with 3 sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception, while showcasing the versatile skill set that defensive coordinator Ryan Walters covets along the interior of the defensive front.
On film, Brown is a disruptive presence who plays with great power and a strong motor while lining up at both defensive tackle and as a standup edge rusher. He also offers a high floor as a run defender, playing with the effort and explosiveness needed to succeed along the interior, where he's consistently able to shoot through gaps and make plays in the backfield.

#defensive #offers #along #interior

Notre Dame added another 4-star prospect to its 2027 recruiting class, as Illinois defensive tackle Brayden Parks made his verbal on Thursday.
His commitment now gives the Irish 23 total commitments in the class, an elite group. According to the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings, Notre Dame has now moved up to the No. 2 spot behind Texas A&M. The difference here is that that Aggies have three more players in their class, and has a slightly higher average commitment rank at 91.08 vs. 91.00.
The Oregon Ducks are right behind the Irish, less than a point away, making it a virtually three-headed race for the top spot. Notre Dame has the most room to add players, but the majority to top prospects have already made their commitments. There could be some a late bloomer or two that they go after, but this could be it for the cycle.
Regardless of where the Irish end up in the rankings, head coach Marcus Freeman has once again managed to bring plenty of talent to an already elite team.
Contact/Follow us IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

#team

Fans have the chance to vote for who they think is the best pass catcher in Oklahoma high school football ahead of the 2026 season.
Below are 20 receivers and tight ends.
Voting will remain open until noon Friday, Aug. 7.
More: Notre Dame football & baseball commit ****** us Hawk does it all at Choctaw | Super 30
More: Oklahoma high school spring sports: 2026 All-City teams in baseball, soccer, track & more

#oklahoma

Recruiting may not be on most people's minds with the college football season set to begin in about five more weeks, but Matt Campbell and his staff don't have the luxury of putting it on the mental back burner. They've done a tremendous job of rebuilding Penn State's 2027 recruiting class, while also keeping their eyes further towards the future.
The Nittany Lions already have a top-three Class of 2028 and now they could be getting their hands on another intriguing prospect from that group. Penn State has been recruiting four-star wide receiver Owen Johnson for much of this year, and in a recent interview with NittanyCentral, he spoke about their chances of landing him.
"Penn State definitely has my attention," is how Johnson began his response when asked about which teams he was focused on. Some of the other schools the team will be battling for Johnson's commitment are Nebraska, Notre Dame, and UCLA, but he confirmed that the Nittany Lions are in his top five.
The team has a serious need for wide receivers, with the position seriously lacking in the next two recruiting classes. They did have one of the best pass catchers in next year's group of prospects, four-star receiver Khalil Taylor, but Penn State was unable to land him a second time.
Perhaps the most important piece of information when it comes to Johnson is that he hails from Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania. The Blue and White have had a difficult time keeping recruits in-state, but they have a great opportunity to change their fortunes here. Johnson is clearly keen on playing for the team and becoming one of the crown jewels of a loaded 2028 class — now the onus is on Penn State to make a commitment worth his while.

#johnson #five

Thirty-one of the 32 first-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft have signed their contracts. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the first overall selection, signed his deal with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday.
That leaves Alabama QB Ty Simpson, the 13th overall pick by the LA Rams, as the lone player chosen in the first round unsigned. Apparently, "secondary contract language" is the holdup. One would have thought Simpson would be anxious to to sign, given how questioned the Rams' choice of him was.
That said, everyone else is in the fold. A look at the value of the contracts for each of those picks. The deals are all for four years.
College: Notre Dame
Contract guarantee: $16,783,748

#first #simpson #contract #overall

Notre Dame is really stacking the talent along the defensive line with its 2027 football recruiting class. On Thursday, one of the big additions to that group finally made a public announcement. 4-Star defensive lineman Brayden Parks gave his commitment to Marcus Freeman, Charlie Partridge, and Notre Dame via an announcement ceremony on CBS Sports.
The 6'3" 305 pound defensive tackle from Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois, chose the Irish over his other finalist, the Oregon Ducks. Parks also held major offers from all over the country including the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines, Alabama Crimson Tide, Miami Hurricanes, and many more.
From 247:
-Wide, stout-bodied interior defender who makes life challenging for Middle 3 blockers with his rate of movement off the ball.
-Possesses the rush get-off and skill level to consistently shave edges or pry open rush paths with inside moves.
-Can rip and swipe his way to immediate victories, with an effective hump move sprinkled in.
-Natural leverage advantage simplifies his ability to anchor and root into the ground against downhill run efforts for new lines of scrimmage.
-Power-packed player who doesn't lose steam on his way to the quarterback at various parts of the field.
-Falls shy of positional size thresholds, but has the length to overwrite those shortcomings.
-Looks the part of a productive, multi-year contributor for a Power Four program who specializes in even-front deployments.
From ISD:

#star

The coaching world is a small one, and as the days go by, it continues to get smaller.
Every single guy is on a one-man mission to get to the top of the sport and become a head coach somewhere. For some, the grind is too much, but for others, they make a life out of it. Now, as the NFL is in a little bit of a transition phase to the young, braniac coaches, there is another layer of the coaching world that is getting exposed. The perfect example of this is with Todd Monken and the two guys the Ravens hired as their head coach and offensive coordinator.
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken was on the Ryan Ripken Show and was asked what his actual thoughts are about the Ravens' decision. In typical Monken fashion, he told the truth and nothing but the truth.
"It's bulls---," Monken exclaimed. " I don't know if everyone knows this. My first year as a GA at Notre Dame... in '91, I GA'd with Declan Doyle's dad, Chris Doyle... My second year at Notre Dame, I moved to defense, and I was a GA for Rick Minter, Jessie Minter's dad. It really just means my a-- is old. But, the reality is, I've got a ton of respect for those guys. They are fantastic coaches."
"They are fantastic coaches and it's bullshit they're with the Ravens and we gotta play them twice a year. All this **** I talked to Declan about taking the job and now we're in the same **** division. I should've talked his **** out of it."

Todd Monken was a GA under Jesse… pic.twitter.com/rN7nWsaN9k

#todd #dame #declan

It was a long hunt, but unfortunately, the Oregon Ducks came up just short.
Four-star defensive lineman Brayden Parks announced his commitment on Thursday to Notre Dame, choosing the Irish over the Ducks. Parks was one of the top defensive linemen left on the board in the 2027 recruiting class, and the Ducks made a strong push late for the Chicago star.
Notre Dame was long rumored to be a favorite, but after Parks decided to make the trip to Eugene for his official visit, there was some confidence that the Ducks had made up ground. Parks spoke highly of his visits to Oregon, but his connection to the Irish and the ability to stay close to home was too much to pass up.
Parks stands at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds and is the No. 24 defensive lineman and No. 199 player nationally in the 2027 class, per 247Sports Composite. He competes for Brother Rice High School in Chicago and is the 10th-ranked player in Illinois.
Oregon still has one of the top classes in the country, but could still use more size along the interior of the defensive line. Four-star Cam Pritchett, the longest-standing recruit in the class, and four-star Zane Rowe are both locked in with the Ducks along the defensive line class and could play inside or on the end. Oregon came up short in pursuit of several elite defensive linemen in the class, including five-star Jalen Brewster and Marcus Fakatou.

#ducks #parks #star #class

Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice four-star defensive lineman Brayden Parks announced his commitment to Notre Dame on Thursday.
The Windy City four-star chose to play for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish over Oregon. Other programs Parks strongly considered include Michigan and Ohio State.
Parks becomes commit No. 23 for Notre Dame in the 2027 class, adding to a haul that the Rivals Industry ranks No. 2 nationally.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Parks spent a lot of time around Notre Dame during his process including the spring game and his official visit in June.
"You can't talk about college football without mentioning Notre Dame," Parks has said in the past. "Coach Freeman is a great leader on the field and in the locker room."

#Chicago #rice

It's a little early to start reimagining this year's NFL draft, as the class has yet to even complete its first training camp, let alone play in an NFL game.
But that is where we are, days away from camp. Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated recently conducted the exercise of redrafting the 2026 college class knowing what we know now about these players.
The first two picks remained unchanged. The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, and the New York Jets took Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey second overall.
At No. 3, the Arizona Cardinals selected Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese instead of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Next up, at No. 4, the Tennessee **** ans stay the course with Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate.
The New York Giants, at No. 5, and with Reese, their actual pick this year, select his Buckeyes teammate, linebacker Sonny Styles.

#selected

Lukas Prock has found his future home.
The four-star quarterback from Princeton (N.J.) Hun School has committed to Indiana, giving Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers one of the nation's premier signal-callers in the 2028 class.
Prock, who ranks No. 68 in the 2028 Rivals Industry Ranking, chose Indiana over finalists Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State after a recruiting battle that accelerated throughout the summer.
Originally planning to wait until after his junior season, Prock ultimately decided there was no reason to delay once he became convinced Bloomington was the right fit.
"I kind of got serious about it the last month or so," Prock told Rivals. "I started to cut things down and lock in with a school so I wouldn't have to worry about it. I didn't want to rush it, and I don't think it's rushed at all."

#industry

Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman had plenty of praise for one of his new hires to the staff.
In a recent interview with On3 (subscription required), Freeman was very vocal about the instant impact that Aaron Henry has made since he was brought onto campus at South Bend as the new defensive backs coach. He called Henry's presence "infectious" and pointed towards the easy fit he has had alongside defensive coordinator Chris Ash.
Aaron Henry was the defensive coordinator at the University of Illinois but even then he fit the type of profile that Freeman looked for in a coach: High-energy, a great recruiter and someone who was proven on the defensive side of the football.
At Illinois, he built his reputation as one of the best developers of defensive backs in the country. Players like Devon Witherspoon, Kerby Joseph, Quan Martin, and Sydney Brown can all be credited at least in part with being developed by Henry. It seems like it is just a matter of time before Witherspoon will sign a new contract with the Seattle Seahawks and become the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. He started as a defensive backs coach at Illinois before eventually being promoted to defensive coordinator when Ryan Walters was hired as the head coach at Purdue.
Henry did not decide to come to Notre Dame blindly. He has a long-established relationship with Chris Ash. He previously played for Ash at Wisconsin and then coached under him at Rutgers. The familiarity with Ash prompted Henry to say the Notre Dame opportunity was a "natural fit."

#freeman

The Notre Dame football season is extremely close to starting, and you can now add a former Ohio State player as one who believes in what head coach Marcus Freeman has built for this fall.
Kirk Herbstreit, the former Buckeye quarterback and current ESPN College GameDay ******* yst and color commentator joined the Pat McAfee Show to discuss who he thinks will win the College Football Playoff. After some back and forth with the panel, he landed on the Irish taking the crown.
Other picks were Oregon, Ohio State and Miami, who Herbstreit also mentioned as a team that he is very high on as well. He went on to say that CJ Carr is “the real deal” as the preseason hype for the starting quarterback grows. It will be very interesting to see who Herbstreit ends up picking when the Hurricanes and Irish face off in early November.
Regardless of that outcome, he thinks that both those teams have the potential for a rematch in the championship game, one that would be a great conclusion to the home-and-home series that Notre Dame and Miami have had the past two years.
Contact/Follow us IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

#ohio

Over the last few years, the Iowa women's basketball program has gone big-game hunting in recruiting circles. It looks like Jan Jensen is doing that again in the 2029 class.
The Hawkeyes landed Addie Deal in the 2025 class, McKenna Woliczko in the 2026 class, and Jada Seubert in the 2027 class. She's done a good job supplementing those big recruiting wins with other savvy additions in the transfer portal. Jensen continued Iowa's pursuit of the nation's very best on Wednesday, offering an elite 2029 guard.
Top-ranked 2029 prospect Kristen Winston took to social media to announce she's received an offer from Iowa. ****** istant coach LaSondra Barrett made the call to officially offer her.
Winston is the No. 1 player in the 2029 class, according to ESPN. The 6-foot guard from Birmingham, Ala., is already raking in the offers from top-tier programs. Miami, Notre Dame, Alabama, North Carolina, and Indiana have already offered Winston. That number will only continue to grow over the next few years. It's going to be a tough battle for the Hawkeyes to land her services.
Jensen has shown the ability to win over big-time recruits during her time in Iowa City. She'll need to do it again to bring Winston to Iowa.

#iowa #years #recruiting #offer

A popular college football social media account believes the Spartans will reach a bowl game for the first time in five seasons.
CFB Home -- a social media account with nearly 125,000 followers on X -- released their game-by-game predictions for the Spartans this upcoming season, and they are higher on Michigan State than most. CFB Home has Michigan State finishing the 2026 season with a 6-6 overall record and 4-5 mark in Big Ten play.
CFB Home has Michigan State opening the year with a pair of victories over Toledo and Eastern Michigan. From there, they see the Spartans dropping a pair of games against Notre Dame and Nebraska before winning ripping off three straight wins against Wisconsin, Illinois and Northwestern.
Michigan State is sitting at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play following this impressive three-game winning streak. But from there, things get rough, with CFB Home predicting four straight losses against UCLA, Michigan, Washington and Oregon. Luckily, Michigan State is able to beat to Rutgers on the final game of the season to reach bowl eligibility.
Michigan State is entering the season with low expectations. The Spartans' wins over/under total is set at 4.5, meaning CFB Home has the Spartans clearing the over by two games this fall.

#home #Social

Look, everyone, you need to come to grips with the reality that Indiana really did win the College Football Playoff National Championship under Curt Cignetti, and it might do it again.

This isn't stopping.

Anecdotal, I know, but let me sum up the prevailing attitude of just about all the various media hits I've done since the Hoosiers had, arguably, the greatest season in the history of college football.

Wonderful story, amazing job done by Cignetti. Now Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, and the other bluebloods will restore order, and Indiana will go back to waiting for basketball season.

Well done, Hoosiers, here are your commemorative t-shirts, off you go ...

Nope.
Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It's not just that Indiana took a blowtorch to everything the stodgy world of college football knows to be holy, right, and true.

It's that now everyone - from Kentucky to UCLA to insert-your-Power-Four-school-here - has some glimmer of hope that maybe, with the right mix of miracles, can have the type of success that fans of most schools have been generationally conditioned to not dare dream possible.
It's also that the bar has been raised for the powerhouses.

Alabama didn't just lose in the College Football Playoff. Ala-FREAKING-Bama is still recovering from the atomic wedgie applied by ... Indiana?! It offends the sensibilities.

And if you think that's not sitting well for an Alabama, try Nebraska, and USC, and Florida and all the other traditional football schools that expect to compete for giant things every year, and can't.
But no, this doesn't necessarily mean Indiana will win the national ****** le again this year, or next year, or five years from now. It means that it'll at least be in the mix.

Ohio State doesn't win it all every year. Texas still hasn't won one since Vince Young. Notre Dame hasn't won one since 1988.

#alabama #done #playoff

Will Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning win the Heisman Trophy? Right now, Manning is one of two favorites to become the third Longhorns player to win the prize.
BetMGM has released the Heisman Trophy odds and betting favorites For 2026. Two names share the top spot in the developing futures market for college football's top award. Manning and Notre Dame QB Marcus Freeman are both +750 to take home the award. Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Miami's Darian Mensah round out the top five.
Last offseason, as the national media rushed to crown Arch Manning as the greatest quarterback of his generation, there were plenty of early predictions of a third Heisman Trophy at Texas. It didn't work out that way in 2025. In hindsight, it wasn't very realistic. But for 2026? It is very realistic.
The redshirt junior passed for 3,163 yards with 26 touchdowns to seven interceptions in 2025. Manning also rushed for 399 yards with 10 touchdowns. He ended the season with a huge game against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, totaling 376 yards with four touchdowns in the 41-27 win.
Player (2026 Team)

#trophy #yards

Clemson remains in the mix for one of the top defensive backs in the 2028 recruiting class, even without extending a scholarship offer.
Four-star safety CJ Craig-James of Parker, Alabama, revealed his top 12 schools on Monday. Clemson joined Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, Cal, Miami, Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Vanderbilt and LSU on the list.
The Tigers' inclusion is notable because Craig-James has not yet visited campus and is still waiting on an offer from Clemson. However, the relationship between the two sides has been strong enough to keep the Tigers firmly in contention. A visit could become more likely once the college football season gets underway.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound defensive back has picked up nearly four dozen scholarship offers, with the majority arriving over the past several months. According to the Rivals Industry Rankings, Craig-James is the No. 83 overall prospect in the 2028 class, the No. 8 safety nationally and the No. 6 player in Alabama.
While Clemson has yet to offer Craig-James, the Tigers have already targeted several top safeties in the cycle, including four-star prospects Dion Edwards and Giovanni Tuggle. Recruiting at the position remains active, and Craig-James is another highly regarded name to watch as the 2028 class continues to take shape.

#tigers

After **** embling such a stellar class of 2027, it comes as no surprise to see the Wisconsin Badgers are already eyeing top 2028 recruits.
Illinois native Logan Thompson is a four-star athlete who stands 6-foot, 175-pounds.
The Althoff Catholic High Schooler is the No. 6 cornerback in the country, according to 247Sports. If that's not impressive enough, he's a top 50 recruit in the entire nation.
On3's Allen Trieu revealed that he has a visit lined up with LSU for their home opener, but Indiana has a planned visit as well.
Usually, the Badgers would already be out, knowing they're competing against top teams. Recently, though, they beat the likes of Alabama and Notre Dame to bring in one of Florida's premier linebackers, Cale Britt.

#althoff

Georgia has become what all the College Football Playoff expansion naysayers feared could happen.

This is the best program in the SEC. It won two straight conference ***** les, three in the last four years, came achingly close to making it four in a row, and ...

Notre Dame 23, Georgia 10.

Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34.

Two appearances in the 12-team College Football Playoff, two instant outs.

The regular season still matters, but who wants to put on a 2025 SEC Championship t-shirt when the team left the playoff building in a hurry?

And that's not fair.
Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Last year's Georgia team was brutally flawed in several key ways.

It was too inexperienced, the defense couldn't rush the passer, there weren't enough downfield shots, and to be totally honest, it's not like it dealt with a tough Big Ten-level schedule.

Including the playoff, it played all SEC teams, Marshall, and Austin Peay. The only Power Four non-conference game was Georgia Tech, and that was a 16-9 fight of a victory.
And even with all of the problems, and all the inconsistencies, that team not only gut-checked its way to thrilling wins over Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida, and Georgia Tech.

It totally dominated Bama in the SEC Championship, rolled at will over Texas, and it got a prime spot in the playoff - it came super-close to being 14-0 and on the way to deal with Miami.

And that was in a relatively just-okay season under Smart.
The defense is about to be a destructive force, the offense will pound away like it did last year, and there should be more consistency to it all.

There will be plenty of preseason hype around Texas - and rightly so. Alabama is good, LSU is a burgeoning monster, Oklahoma is great, and it's still the SEC. (These things go in cycles.)

Georgia is the SEC standard-bearer, but it has to be even better.

- 2026 Georgia Schedule ***** ysis

#playoff #four #Football #Tech